As a person who’s voted for the last 74 years, it was a pleasure to see a presidential candidate visit our town of Monterey.

It is best for me to rely on a wheelchair for lengthy outings so my niece pushed me in the direction of Colton Hall on May 31 to see Senator Bernie Sanders, currently on the stump for the Democratic slate.

According to the May 28 Herald (of which I am a subscriber), the event was expecting 2,000 interested citizens to show up. What a surprise, then, to roll down Jefferson Street and see a throng of more than three times that estimate!

More than 7,500 were in attendance and yet everyone was attentive and helpful.

What could have been chaos and confusion was instead an orderly lesson in civics and good governance. Cooperation between security, Secret Service, Monterey Police Department, Federal Transportation Board and the Sanders staff kept everything organized, and attendees informed. As a result, lines kept moving and the good vibe flowing.

Thanks to anyone I have neglected to mention and I hope more candidates visit our town. If they do, let them use this Sanders rally as the prototype for success.

— Antoinette Lojkovic, Monterey

Clinton will finish the job Obama set out to do

First there was the David Brooks May 31 column wondering why people find Hillary untrustworthy, Then Beverly Borgman wrote the June 4 letter saying that we just don’t know Hillary.

Yes, we do know Hillary.

We know she lied about Benghazi. She lied about Bosnia. We know she used the Clinton Foundation as a cover for tax evasion, hiring cronies and taking bribes from foreign countries. We do know about Whitewater, Vince Foster and commodity deals. We know about the private email scandal, and the list goes on and on.

Hillary Clinton if elected will complete the job Barack Obama set out to do: destroy our country.

— Gail Howard, Monterey

Burnt wood is no different from a sack of trash

Since there is a $1,000 fine for littering in the state of California, why isn’t that enforced on the beach?

Carmel Beach is world famous and a major attraction for this town. Leaving a mess of burnt wood is no different from leaving a sack of trash (June 8).

Why not put a few signs up reminding people that there is a large fine for littering, or better yet, double the fine in beach areas?

Worth a try.

— Susie Bauer, Carmel

The eroding rights of California citizens

In 2013, the Legislature passed SB 585, which was written to allow detention and imprisonment without due process of anyone based on economic status or mental state, and SB 816, which expanded who the state defines as having a “developmental” or “intellectual disability.”

Now they’re trying to pass SB 1095, a genetic screening bill, which would mandate California to target anyone, born or unborn (including during “prenatal care”) who has, in the words of the bill, “any disease” detectable in the blood. It is a disaster for human rights and genetic ecology.

In 2015, the Legislature pushed AB 1326 to try to make it illegal to spend virtual currencies. Fortunately, statewide advocacy against AB 1326 got it put in inactive file. Then the Legislature launched AB 1681 to try to ban smartphone encryption!

From 2013 through 2014, 20 unconstitutional gun control bills in California got signed into law. Currently the Legislature has 16 more gun and ammo control bills pending.

All above mentioned bills were advanced by Democrats in the Legislature, who betrayed Californians, and who need to be replaced by political opponents from different parties — ones that will respect our rights.

— Colin Gallagher, Marina

Keillor commentary very perceptive and funny

Thank you, Garrison Keillor, for your funny and perceptive June 8 commentary regarding “Mr. Btfsblk.” Perhaps Guy Noir could explain the mystery of those who find him appealing.